Fallen Hero: Forgotten (CHALLENGE!)
by SLUG-CAT624
Summary: Rated: T Summary: Harry Potter just wants to forget: forget that Vernon ever saw him, touched him, beat him. Petunia wants to forget that she's married a monster. After she files for divorce, she and Dudley move to an area closer to London and try to move on. Harry has to go back to Hogwarts, though, and they can't keep watch on him forever. CHALLENGE by echoing noise, 6th yr AU.
1. Chapter 1: Forget

**Name (of challenge): Forgotten**

 **Name of Challenger (as in your name):** Paige! Or, you know, echoing noise. But there's no need to be so formal.

 **Due date:** Same as before, dearies: a year from when you claim.

 **Pairing:** Whatever you like, but if it requires character bashing or Mpreg you'll be recieving a very stern review from me.

 **Summary:** Harry Potter just wants to forget: forget that Vernon ever saw him, touched him, beat him. Petunia wants to forget that she's married a monster. After she files for divorce, she and Dudley move to an area closer to London and try to move on. Harry has to go back to Hogwarts, though, and they can't keep watch on him forever.

Basically, how would a Petunia who cared react to a beaten and emotionally disturbed Harry?

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

 _Forgotten_

Chapter 1: Forget

If you were to see the dark haired boy on the darkened British street tonight, you the first thing you would see was his scar. If you came last night, or the night before that, and that, and that, you would not.

As of tonight however, the boy was asleep, and even though he was clearly worn to the greatest extent in body, (and if you knew him in mind as well), he did not sleep peacefully. In fact, the boy was not sleeping at all. Certainly, his body was, but his mind was not. He tossed and turned, letting out a small moan when his weight pushed on the numerous bruises. If he shifted, you could see blood spotting the sheets.

In a cage, there was a snowy owl. The cage was normally lock for the safety of the owl from the boy's family, but the boy was too tired to remember. In this case, though, this worked for the better. The owl decided his master's torture had gone far enough.

|HP|

 _Vernon has him pushed against the wall, so close to him he could smell the sweat and stink left over from his recent 'lesson'._

" _I'll give you one night to rest boy. Then will continue."_

That had last night. As Harry stumbled out of bed from another sleepless night, he glanced in the small mirror.

He seemed to be covered in light bruising everywhere. It looked worse now that they were a day old. The last had been worse than the others had.

 _Kill him._

 _What?_

 _Kill him! Rip out his throat with your teeth, crack his skull open! Let his blood drip through your fingers, and peace will come._

 _Mum would not like it…_

 _How do you know? You never saw her._

 _She is dead. Like them all. Dad, Sirius- Oh god, Sirius!_

 _Yes, wouldn't this distract you from the pain?_

 _I just want to forget._

The voice said nothing to that.

|HP|

Petunia Dursley woke to a gentle nib at her ear. She gasped at the owl in front of her. But the bird just fluttered off the bed and gave her questioning look as if biding her to follow. She shook her head, she must be crazy, and followed the owl to her nephew's room.

She gasped for the second time that night. Her nephew's floor was splattered with blood and a clear liquid which she assumed came from the spilled glass from the knocked over nightstand. But her nephew-no her _Harry_ … her horrified gaze hardened. She crept from the room, petting the owl gently with a whispered _Thank You._ She walked to Dudley's room and turned on the light.

"Dudders?" she whispered.

He blinked opened his eyes slowly. "Yeah Mom?"

"There's something you need to know about your father…"


	2. Chapter 2: Remember

**A/N: Wow! Thanks for all the support so far! I didn't think it would be this successful! Shout outs to: ciejade ~ Thank you! And here's your update!, Gugaraneth ~ Thanks as well. I hope I spelled your name right. :) Just curious, how do you say it?, grace362294 ~ Here's some Petunia protecting Harry! I hope its what you want!**

 **Again, thanks,**

 **-Slug-Cat**

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Chapter 2: Remember

Harry was already downstairs, and the smell of bacon frying wafted through the air. Petunia nervously poked her head into the kitchen.

"Harry?" He turned, his gaze strangely blank.

"Yes Aunt Petunia?" he asked in a monotone.

She took a deep breath. "Here, let me help you with that." She walked over to the stove and checked the bacon before turning back to Harry. "Harry, I… I know I can't fix what I've done in the past or… what Vernon has but-" Harry unconsciously flinched at his uncle's name. "But… I want to help you and…" she went to put her hands on his shoulders, but a wild look of fear and panic came into his eyes and stepped back, giving an almost cat like hiss before falling against the wall. _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ She scolded herself. "Sorry Harry. But I'm going to file a divorce when Vernon is at work and we can go-"

"Don't bother." His voice came in a croaking whisper. "I'm worth nothing. They'll always find me, where ever I go."

"Who Harry?"

He just shook his head and turned back towards the bacon. She gently pried the handle of the frying pan from his hands. "Who Harry? Please tell me."

He snatched the pan back bitterly. "Call them what you want. Fate, demons… Death." Suddenly a voice came from behind her, snarling.

"PETUNIA!"

"Run!" she whispered to Harry. "All your school stuff is in the car. Dudley is in there to." He didn't move, the purple faced Vernon freezing him to the bone. "Harry!" she hissed. "Take Dudley and run! I'll hold him off!" Suddenly, Harry was not in Privet Drive. He was in Godric's Hallow all those years ago.

 _The door opened with a bang. The snake-like face of Tom Riddle appeared in the doorway. James pushed baby Harry into his mother's arms. "Lily, take Harry and run! I'll hold him off!" As Lily sprinted up the stairs, there was a cackle of mad laughter, the roar of a curse and a flash of green light. Lily pushed open the nursery door and slammed it shut again. She began to madly pile boxes and chairs, trying to barricade the door. It was blasted to rubble as Lord Voldemort glided in. She dropped Harry in his crib, and throw her arms wide around it, trying to shield him._

 _"_ _Not Harry, please not Harry!"_

 _"_ _Stand aside silly little girl!"_

 _"_ _Not Harry, PLEASE not Harry!"_

 _"_ _Stand aside!"_

 _"_ _Have mercy! Please have-"_

 _"_ _AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

Harry woke shaking. He was in the back of Vernon's car, with the worried face of Dudley hovering over him. Petunia halted speeding car with a skid turned in her seat. "You alright Harry?" she asked.

"Yeah," he gasped, trying to settle his breathing. "Just… remembering."


	3. Chapter 3: Secrets

**A/N: Sorry guys, I've just been SO BUSY with school, cuz I'm applying to a few things... Anyway, thank you for your patience and here's a double update! Love you guys, ~Slug-Cat**

* * *

Chapter 3: Secrets

We all have secrets that we wish to keep. That make us wish we could hide away, deep in some Hell. The boy with the scar had many secrets. He had witnessed death, murder, and had faced fear itself. Everyone has secrets. However, not everyone can keep them.

|HP|

Petunia drove long into the night. It was not unlike the drive before his first year of Hogwarts, when his uncle was fleeing the letters. However, the atmosphere was different. It was filled with fear. The kind of fear a rabbit gets when it is fleeing a wolf. Cold, rushing, bone-chilling fear. Like dementors.

 _You could do it._

 _What?_

 _Feed him to them. Let him see his greatest fears before you rip him apart._

 _But… but…_

 _Don't fight it. Why not get your heart's desire for once?_

 _But Ron, Hermione…_

 _In the end they'll turn. Like everyone else. Or end up dead. Like everyone else. They cannot control what you do._

 _But I can._ And as he pushed the voice back again, he tried to ignore the worm of doubt in his mind.

|HP|

After a few days, Petunia found and rented them a flat in the suburbs of London. It took all of the next three weeks to get Harry not to flinch and shield himself at Petunia's and Dudley's approach. Petunia contacted the headmaster and informed him of the situation. After a few weeks, Ron and Hermione came to visit.

When Hermione came through the door, she rushed to Harry and throw her arms around him. He stiffed a moment, and then relaxed in her embrace.

"Oh Harry! Mum and Dad won't tell me what's happened and their acting so worried and-" Ron came in. Harry stiffened. He still couldn't be in a room with Dudley, it was hard enough passing him in the hall. He knew Dudley- let alone Ron, would never do what is uncle did, but he still couldn't stand males. He hung on to Hermione, eyes widening slightly.

"Sorry I'm a little late, Fred got some-" he stopped, seeing Harry's reaction.

"What's wrong, mate? Did Fred do something to my hair?" He patted the top of his head just to be sure. He stepped closer. Harry gripped Hermione tighter. "I know that-" Harry didn't bother to let him get past those three words. He fled to his room. Everyone has secrets. But no secret stays secret for long.


	4. Chapter 4: Dark

Chapter 4: Dark

Hogwarts. It no longer gave him joy. The castle loomed in the darkness, tall, threatening, and full of men.

 _Tall…_ the voice in his head purred. _Tall and high and windy and slick and so easy to-_

 _No! I have to live._

 _For what? To be thrown around, to be the pawn of Dumbledore, the slave of a war?_

 _I have to, it's my destiny._

 _No, you have a choice. Choose to turn away, choose to free yourself._

 _No._

And as he pushed the darkness back again, but he could feel it, sweet and free, in the back of his mind. Always there, never really leaving.

|HP|

There were whispers about the boy who lived. The boy with the scar. How he was here, but none saw him. How when they did he was pale and gaunt, darkness seemingly shadowing him. They whispered him being captured by Death Eater over the summer months and tortured. The Headmaster did not dispute these rumors, in ways they were better then the truth. He had private lessons with the professors, only enforcing the rumors of his protection from Voldemort.

Hermione visited him as soon as she could.

"Harry, did Voldemort really capture you over the summer? Is that why when we came to see you-"

He stared at her, green eyes pleading. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no…" He was rocking back and forth now, curled up against the wall.

"Oh Harry! I'm so sorry, please-" as she put a hand on his arm, he flinched, forcefully pushing her away. Hermione jerked back, stung.

When Hermione walked into the common room that night, she fell into Ron's arms. As Ron held her shaking form, he gently stroked her face, wiping away the tears. "It didn't go well?" he whispered softy.

"No," she hiccupped. "The world dark for him. Dark. That's the only thing he sees now."


	5. Chapter 5: Sleep

Chapter 5: Sleep

He stared out the window, looking at the full moon. Lupin would be transforming tonight, like that that faithful night two years ago.

 _Perhaps is would have been better if he caught me._

 _No! I need to live… right?_ He felt his resolve slowly weakening.

 _You wouldn't be in pain. You wouldn't have seen the fates of Cedric, Sirius… Vernon._

Slowly, without really realizing it, he unlatched the window. Cool night air brushed in his face, surrounding him, freezing his very soul. He stepped. And stepped. Just one more-

"Harry!" someone screamed, and felt arms pull him back into the room. He turned his blank gaze to Ginny. She was fuming, shaking him.

"You were not going to jump," she growled.

He stared, blankly, unfeelingly.

"YOU WERE NOT GOING TO JUMP! LISTEN TO ME, BLOODY HARRY JAMES POTTER!" She dropped to her knees, dragging him with her to the floor. He didn't even feel the old velvet carpet beneath him. She grabbed at him again, harder.

"Listen to me very closely, Harry Potter.", she hissed. "You will NEVER jump! Hear me?! NEVER!" Suddenly, her anger was gone, and she was crying. "Why," she moaned. "Why Harry?"

He spoke, for the first time in many months, voice horse. "I'm afraid."

She looked closely in his emerald green eyes that were slowly losing their vividness. "Of what?"

He closed his eyes, voice shaking, and whispered. "Vernon."

She curled up protectively around him. "Well," she said, gently brushing his wind-blown hair out of his face, "You'll sleep tonight." And she pressed her lips ageist his, and fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6: No

Chapter 6: No

Harry James Potter awoke to the sweet scent of flowers, and a soft hand ageist his cheek. For a moment, a slash of red covered one eye, and he jumped back, startled, panicked. Only when it gently fell away did he realize it was a lock of Ginny's hair, not blood. _Ginny._ He looked into the face of the fiery, strong-willed redhead. It looked surprisingly child-like, unworried in her slumber. As if the war never existed, like he was never The Chosen One. As if he didn't have the numerus scars to go along with the lightning bolt.

All of this past through his head in a few seconds, and Ginny's eyes flickered open when she felt him wake.

"Hey." It was a soft, sweet sound. Suddenly fear swept over him. He begin to shake.

"I didn't do it! Whatever it is- I-I did-dn't do-o it-t!" He stuttered, throwing his hands up in defense, trying to shield himself from his fears.

Ginny shook her head very gently, "You didn't do anything Harry. I-". She reached to put her hand in his-

"NO!" His eyes widened in fear. "Let-t me-e go-o-o! Pl-les-se?"

Ginny's eyes filled with sadness. "Oh, Harry. You know I mean you no harm."

For a moment his eyes cleared, and he spoke in a quivering voice. "You don't deserve me Ginny. No one dose. I'm broken." And then he was lost again.

|HP|

When Ginny returned to the common room later that morning, there were a few glances, a few whispers. All were sad, sometimes a tint of fear mixed in. They all knew where she had been, and no one judged her. She glanced at Neville, and he answered the unspoked question.

"They're upstairs. Boys dorm." He didn't need to add that they were sitting on the one empty bed, silently morning and wanting him back.

|HP|

She told them. Ron was furious. Hermione just clutched her ever present book a little tighter, a sad but knowing look in her eye.

Ears burning and face red, Ron was pacing up and down the room, fists clenched.

"I'll kill them!" he growled. "Every single one!" Hermione, who let him storm for a good twenty minutes now, and couldn't bear the thought of losing both her friends, did the only rational thing to do. She slapped him.

For a few moments he just stared blankly. Then his eyes when from her book to her to her book…

"What was that for?" he grumbled. Ron looked suspiciously at Ginny, who appeared to be having a massive coughing fit.

"For you to get back to reality! If we want to solve this problem, we can't just sit around screaming!"

Ron adopted a thoughtful expression, and said, "Well, I was _pacing,_ not _sitting_."

Hermione throw her arms around him, tears streaming down her cheeks, and whispered _thank you._

Ron looked startled, but soon relaxed, beginning to slid his fingers through her bushy hair. "What for?"

She looked up at him, eyes shining. "Being you."

Ginny pulled them back this time. "Who should we contact first, Hermione?"

Hermione brushed away her tears. "Dumbledore. Then Petunia Dursley."


	7. Chapter 7: Blood

**A/N: Sorry it's been so long! But school and all this snow is messing with my mental** **schedule** **... Anyway, I'm really pleased with how this chapter turned out, so I hope you enjoy it!**

 **1/23- Just a few typos I'm fixing! Thanks Nanettez!**

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Chapter 7: Blood

Petunia jumped as the phone rang, sharply piercing the silence of the apartment. She got up from the table, hand still absentmindedly clutching the papers she was reading through.

"Hello? Petunia Evans speaking."

A young and slightly familiar male voice answered her. "Um… can you hold on a moment?..." She heard faint yelling in the background.

"'Mione!"

"What?!"

"I think we have the wrong number…"

There was a sigh and the female voice came on. Petunia could have sworn she heard the sound of a punch being thrown and a faint _hey!_ "Sorry mam. My friend Ronald has no sense of social etiquette."

Petunia smiled faintly. "Oh it's quite alright dear."

"Miss Evans, I'm Hermione Granger, one of Harry's friends…"

Her smile turned into a worried frown. "Yes, how is he doing?"

The breathing on the other end of the line turned shaky. "There's no easy way to say it, Miss Evans… he's not doing very well at all."

The papers slid from her grasp. "What do you mean?" she said faintly.

"He hasn't been sleeping or eating well as far as we can tell… Do you mind if I pass you over to his girlfriend, Ginny? He saw him last night…"

She nodded mutely, forgetting she was on the phone as another female voice spoke.

"Miss Dur- _Evans_ I'm Ginny, Harry's girlfriend."

Her eyes filled with tears. "I didn't even know… he had a girlfriend." Her voice dropped in anger. "I let Vernon and my childhood conflicts feed me lies all these years…"

The other end was silent, waiting. "I'm sorry. Go ahead."

"Harry he's… having some mental issues. Last night I found him on the window ledge knees bent…"

"Do you mean…"

"Yes," Ginny said flatly. "He was going to jump."

She sank into a chair, shaking. "What can I do?"

"We want you to come up here… Dumbledore will be at you flat shortly with a portkey."

"Thank you." As the call ended, she sat back in the chair, face in her hands, only to have the phone ring again. Part of her considered ignoring it, but when she saw the number, she immediately picked up.

"Hello?" she said somewhat wearly.

"Mam, are you Miss Petunia Evans-Dursley?"

"Yes…"

"I'm Officer Jencins, and mam, there's no easy way to say this-"

 _No, no, no, no, no…_

"Your former husband was murdered last night."

Her voice came out as a croak. "What?"

"It's a truly devastating and puzzling case mam," sympathy was evident in the male officer's voice, "It seems like his brain told his body to stop breathing. Like… _magic."_

|HP|

The darkly cloaked figure glided into the room, a dark aura of power around him. He laughed at the look of shock on that pathetic muggle's face.

"You, and everyone else will pay." It was a high, cold voice.

He took out his wand, and the Crucio leaped out happily.

"Dumbledore!" The Crucio tightened its grasp.

"The Order!"

"Minerva!"

"Snape!" He laughed at the Muggle's distress as the Crucio grew with every word. "Oh, yes, he is no friend of mine!"

"Ron!"

"Hermione!"

 _"_ _Voldemort!"_ And as the Killing Curse was fired, the Boy With the Scar showed no remorse. Rather, his lips curled into a thin, cruel, smile.


	8. Chapter 8: Tell Us

Chapter 8:

Dumbledore called them to his office in the early morning. Hermione and Ron stumbled in, shadows under their eyes apparent even in the pre-dawn light. Dumbledore looked grave.

"I have some rather startling news. Miss Evans former husband has been murdered… by a wizard. That much is known. We are still waiting-" Suddenly, with a loud _pop!_ a scroll appeared in midair.

"Well, that would be it!" Slowly, he looked up, and tears were in his crystal blue eyes. Hermione's eyes hardened.

"It was him." It wasn't a question. Dumbledore nodded. She let out a breath and walked briskly from the room, closing the door sharply behind her. Ron's eyes shone with disbelief.

"Who?"

"My dear boy, I am so sorry…" A lone tear trickled down Dumbledore's cheek. "Harry, my dear boy. It was Harry."

|HP|

Petunia shivered in the cool early morning air. The police hadn't allowed her in yet, but she saw the pictures. It showed the living room in tatters, like a tornado ran through it. Doors were blasted open, pictures fallen from the walls. But what was in the forefront of her mind was the picture of her husband and the look of terror on his face.

|HP|

Rufus Scrimgeour frowned as the Muggle police fluttered around him. He had gotten an owl saying that one of Harry Potter's guardians was murdered. He cast a few charms, looking for clues to the killer's identity. Suddenly, a darkened form crept from a shadowy corner.

 _It's like a Patronus!_ _But not…_ Instead of an aura light and warmth, it was a blackened void, chill emanating from it. The shadowy stag spoke.

 _You could have stopped me._

"What?"

 _You could have prevented it. But no, Dumbledore was to caught up in his feelings, Hermione her books, Ron…_ family _!_

"Who are you?"

 _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord… and rise in his place. Foolish man. I_ was _your Chosen One. I_ was _the Boy Who Lived. I am Dominus Mortis, the new Dark Lord._


	9. Chapter 9: Sorry

Chapter 9: Sorry

Preparations for the third Wizarding War began. Muggles would know it as World War III. The Ministry was not only corrupted, but destroyed. It had been his first attack, to take out the government he hated so much. No one knew where Voldemort was, and no one wanted to. Not out of fear, but of pity. Curious, is it not?

|HP|

Hermione stood in the Gryffindor common room one last time. "Anyone who wishes to join Dumbledore's Army may. Just sign the sheet over there." She gestured to a table with a large scroll of parchment on it and a basket. "Just take an enchanted coin from the basket for communications. And you don't have to give up Hogwarts to join. It would be good to have some spies here."

There were nods and mummers of agreement. Hermione looked into the eyes of each of her fellow Gryffindors. "It has been an honor to know you all." Though she stood tall, there were tears in her eyes.

"Hermione, your not going to die!"

"Yeah! We'll protect you!"

"Ron and Neville and Luna too! All of you!"

Hermione raised a hand for quiet. "Thank you all… but do you really think he'll spare me?"

The silence was deafening. She shook her head. "No. He'll come after all of us. But mostly his friends. Me, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna… No, we go into this war ready to die, to let others live."

One person started clapping. Then another and another, until the whole room roared with it. Then the chanting began.

"DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY! DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY!" And so our heroes left Hogwarts not in sadness or morning, but with the battle cries of their fellows ringing in their ears. And as they stood on the hill, waving a final goodbye, they all became Gryffindors that day, even Malfoy. And not one was sorry.

THE END

 **Woo! It's done! Thank all of you for the reviews a follows and support and oh... just thank you! Don't worry, a sequal shall come!**

 **Lots of love,**

 **Slug-Cat**


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